Criminals had nowhere to hide as police carried out two major operations on Coventry roads.

On Sky Blue Way up to 20 officers were using the latest detection equipment to stop cars known to police.

At the same time yesterday teams of officers targeted bus stops in Foleshill Road and Ansty Road to clamp down on anti-social behaviour and drug dealing on the city's buses.

By the end of both campaigns thousands of people will have been stopped and questioned, resulting in a number of arrests.

Sgt Kevin Doyle, who was coordinating the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) operation on Sky Blue Way, said: "We are closing down corridors of crime to stop people as they travel through the city. The whole business is about closing down areas and ring fencing crime scenes."

Using ANPR police can quickly check every number plate against a database of vehicles. This information is then used to alert officers positioned minutes down the road so that drivers can be pulled over for questioning.

Sgt Doyle said: "The car might be pulled over because it hasn't been taxed, but figures show these cars are often involved in more serious crimes such as armed robbery.

"This is not a case of stopping cars indiscriminately, it is informed, intelligence-led policing."

Elsewhere in the city police were targeting buses as part of Operation Safer Travel, a joint initiative with Travel West Midlands.

Sgt Darren Walsh said: "By getting on the buses we can ensure there are no problems with anti-social behaviour, drugs or children playing truant from school.

"Figures show public perception of crime is a lot higher than actual crime. Hopefully our presence will help to redress the balance."

The move went down well with regular bus traveller Hazel Taylor, of Wyken. She said: "It is reassuring to see the police. It can be intimidating travelling on the buses with people drinking and misbehaving."